Quantitative Analysis of the Effect of Neuromuscular Blockade on Motor-Evoked Potentials in Patients Undergoing Brain Tumor Removal Surgery: A Prospective, Single-Arm, Open-Label Observational Study.

: We aimed to elucidate the quantitative relationship between the neuromuscular blockade depth and intraoperative motor-evoked potential amplitudes. This prospective, single-arm, open-label, observational study was conducted at a single university hospital in Seoul, Korea, and included 100 adult patients aged ≥19 years undergoing brain tumor removal surgery under general anesthesia. We measured the neuromuscular blockade degree and motor-evoked potential amplitude in the deltoid, abductor pollicis brevis, tibialis anterior, and abductor hallucis muscles until dural opening.

Seasonal Stability Assessment of Reference Genes for Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Normalization in .

Bumblebees () play a crucial role as highly efficient biological agents in commercial pollination. Understanding the molecular mechanisms governing their adaptation to diverse seasonal environments may pave the way for effective management strategies in the future. With the burgeoning advancement in post-genetic studies focusing on , there is a critical need to normalize quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) data using suitable reference genes.

Evaluation of subchronic oral dose toxicity and allergen of freeze-dried powder of (Orthoptera: Acrididae) as a novel food source.

The migratory locust, (Orthoptera: Acrididae), is a well-known edible insect which may serve as new source of human food and animal feed. However, potential toxicity and food safety of had not been investigated extensively until now. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate toxicity of freeze-dried powder of (fdLM) and identify allergic components in ELISA and PCR techniques.

Subacute Oral Toxicity Evaluation of Freeze-Dried Powder of .

Novel food sources have enormous potential as nutritional supplements. For instance, edible insects are considered as an alternative food source due to their higher protein content; moreover, they are economically efficient reproducers and have high in nutritional value. In this study, we investigated the toxicity of the freeze-dried powder of (fdLM), known to contain rich proteins as well as fatty acids.

Evaluation of Subchronic Oral Dose Toxicity of Freeze-Dried Skimmed Powder of Larvae (frpfdZAL) in Rats.

(Coleoptera: ), the giant mealworm beetle, is known as an edible insect containing a high protein content which may serve as new sources of human food and animal feed. However, potential toxicity and food safety analyses of have not been previously investigated. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to evaluate toxicity of freeze-dried skimmed powder of larvae (frpfdZAL), known as the super mealworm.

Modulation of the Hydrogen Bonding Structure of Water by Renal Osmolytes.

Osmolytes are an integral part of living organism, e.g., the kidney uses sorbitol, trimethylglycine, taurine and myo-inositol to counter the deleterious effects of urea and salt.

First report of Oryctes rhinoceros nudivirus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) causing severe disease in Allomyrina dichotoma in Korea.

Oryctes rhinoceros nudivirus (OrNV) has been known to cause severe disease in coconut palm rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros, in Southeastern Asia and is used as a biological control to reduce the pest population. Here, we report for the first time that the OrNV may have landed on Korea and may be the major pathogen for diseased larvae of Korean horn beetle, Allomyrina dichotoma. After peroral inoculation, over 60% of infected larvae perished in 6 wk.

Simultaneous enhancement of upconversion and downshifting luminescence via plasmonic structure.

We describe a metal nanodisk-insulator-metal (MIM) structure that enhances lanthanide-based upconversion (UC) and downshifting (DS) simultaneously. The structure was fabricated using a nanotransfer printing method that facilitates large-area applications of nanostructures for optoelectronic devices. The proposed MIM structure is a promising way to harness the entire solar spectrum by converting both ultraviolet and near-infrared to visible light concurrently through resonant-mode excitation.

Vibrational dynamics of thiocyanate and selenocyanate bound to horse heart myoglobin.

The structure and vibrational dynamics of SCN- and SeCN-bound myoglobin have been investigated using polarization-controlled IR pump-probe measurements and quantum chemistry calculations. The complexes are found to be in low and high spin states, with the dominant contribution from the latter. In addition, the Mb:SCN high spin complex exhibits a doublet feature in the thiocyanate stretch IR absorption spectra, indicating two distinct molecular conformations around the heme pocket.

Role of Urodynamic Study in Nocturnal Enuresis: Urodynamic Findings and Treatment Outcome Correlation in Children with Pharmacotherapy-resistant Monosymptomatic Nocturnal Enuresis or Severe Non-monosymptomatic Nocturnal Enuresis.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether or not a urodynamic study (UDS) is beneficial for management of pediatric nocturnal enuresis (NE), especially in pharmacoresistant monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (PRMNE) or severe non-monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (NMNE) patients.

Methods: Children with PRMNE or severe NMNE who underwent a UDS for the process of NE treatment were retrospectively reviewed. The UDS findings of patients and treatment outcomes of subsequent tailored therapies according to the UDS findings were analyzed.

Extra and intramedullary anaplastic ependymoma in thoracic spinal cord.

Spinal ependymoma occupies 40-60% of primary spinal cord tumors and has a feature of intramedullary tumor. The tumor most commonly arises from the central canal of the spinal cord, the conus medullaris or the filum terminale and its pathological features are usually benign. Unlike above characteristics, intra and extramedullary ependymomas are reported very rarely and have wide variety of histological features.

Surgical versus Conservative Treatment for Lumbar Disc Herniation with Motor Weakness.

Objective: The aim of this study is to assess outcomes during first one year for patients with severe motor weakness caused by lumbar disc herniation that underwent surgical or nonsurgical treatment.

Methods: The 46 patients with motor weakness because of lumbar disc herniation who were treated at neurosurgical department and rehabilitation in our hospital from 2006 to 2010, retrospectively. Each group had 26 surgical treatments and 20 conservative treatments.

Computational infrared and two-dimensional infrared photon echo spectroscopy of both wild-type and double mutant myoglobin-CO proteins.

The CO stretching mode of both wild-type and double mutant ( T67R / S92D ) MbCO (carbonmonoxymyoglobin) proteins is an ideal infrared (IR) probe for studying the local electrostatic environment inside the myoglobin heme pocket. Recently, to elucidate the conformational switching dynamics between two distinguishable states, extensive IR absorption, IR pump-probe, and two-dimensional (2D) IR spectroscopic studies for various mutant MbCO's have been performed by the Fayer group. They showed that the 2D IR spectroscopy of the double mutant, which has a peroxidase enzyme activity, reveals a rapid chemical exchange between two distinct states, whereas that of the wild-type does not.

Transorbital penetrating intracranial injury by a chopstick.

A 38-year-old man fell from a chair with a chopstick in his hand. The chopstick penetrated his left eye. He noticed pain, swelling, and numbness around his left eye.

Outcomes of transurethral removal of intravesical or intraurethral mesh following midurethral sling surgery.

Purpose: To present outcomes of transurethral removal (TUR) of intravesical or intraurethral mesh after midurethral slings.

Materials And Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of 23 consecutive women: 20 with intravesical mesh and 3 with intraurethral mesh.

Results: To remove the mesh, transurethral resection with an electrode loop (TUR-E) was used in 16 women and transurethral resection with a holmium laser (TUR-H) was used in 7.

Surgical results of selective median neurotomy for wrist and finger spasticity.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the surgical outcomes of selective median neurotomy (SMN) for spastic wrist and fingers.

Methods: We studied 22 patients with wrist and finger spasticity refractory to optimal oral medication and physical therapy. The authors evaluated spasticity of the wrist and finger muscles by comparing preoperative states with postoperative states using the modified Ashworth scale (MAS).

A case of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy for a prostatic stromal tumor of uncertain malignant potential.

Prostatic stromal tumor of uncertain malignant potential (STUMP) is a rare neoplasm with distinctive clinical and pathological characteristics. Here we report a case of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy performed in a patient with prostatic STUMP.

Ulnar Nerve Compression in Guyon's Canal by Ganglion Cyst.

Compression of the ulnar nerve in Guyon's canal can result from repeated blunt trauma, fracture of the hamate's hook, and arterial thrombosis or aneurysm. In addition, conditions such as ganglia, rheumatoid arthritis and ulnar artery disease can rapidly compress the ulnar nerve in Guyon's canal. A ganglion cyst can acutely protrude or grow, which also might compress the ulnar nerve.

Biological effects of fucoidan isolated from Fucus vesiculosus on thrombosis and vascular cells.

Background: Fucoidan is a highly sulfated glycosaminoglycan, which has a molecular structure similar to that of heparin. The antithrombotic effects of fucoidan in vitro have been widely reported, but its antithrombotic effects in vivo as well as its other biological properties in vitro have not been well investigated.

Methods: This study investigated the effects and mechanism of fucoidan from Fucus vesiculosus on thrombosis both in vitro and in vivo.

Efficacy of desmopressin and enuresis alarm as first and second line treatment for primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis: prospective randomized crossover study.

Purpose: We compared the efficacy of desmopressin and enuresis alarm as first and second line treatment options for monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis.

Materials And Methods: A total of 104 children with monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis were randomly assigned to either desmopressin (54) or enuresis alarm (50) as first line treatment. Following 12 weeks of first line treatment children with a full response were evaluated for relapse 12 weeks after withdrawal of treatment.

The efficacy of enuresis alarm treatment in pharmacotherapy-resistant nocturnal enuresis.

Objectives: To assess the efficacy of enuresis alarm (EA) treatment in pharmacotherapy-resistant nocturnal enuresis (PRNE).

Material And Methods: A retrospective study was performed in children who received EA treatment as a form of combination treatment for PRNE from June 1999 to December 2007. The children included 54 monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (MNE) children who had partial response or nonresponse to desmopressin (group 1), 25 nonmonosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (NMNE) children who had partial response or nonresponse to extended release oxybutynin plus desmopressin (group 2), and 21 MNE or NMNE children who relapsed after responding fully to first-line pharmacotherapy (group 3).

Relationship between insulin resistance, obesity and serum prostate-specific antigen levels in healthy men.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between insulin resistance, obesity and serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in healthy men with serum PSA level below 4 ng mL(-1). The men included in the study cohort were 11 827 healthy male employees of the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., LTD who had undergone medical checkups including fasting glucose, fasting insulin and serum PSA between January 2003 and December 2008.

The utility of fluorescence in situ hybridization for detection of bladder urothelial carcinoma in routine clinical practice.

To evaluate the ability of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in detecting bladder urothelial carcinoma (BUC), FISH and cytology were compared for the evaluation of 308 consecutive urine samples from patients suspected of having BUC. All patients underwent cystoscopy for identification of bladder lesions. The FISH results were compared with the cytology assessment.

Impact of capsular incision on biochemical recurrence after radical perineal prostatectomy.

The prognostic implications of capsular incision (CI) remain to be defined. We evaluated the impact of CI on biochemical recurrence (BCR) and the potential risk factors of CI. Between June 1995 and July 2007, 266 patients with follow-up for at least 6 months, who had neither the seminal vesicle nor lymph node involvement on prostatectomy specimen, were included.

Association between metabolic syndrome and chronic kidney disease in the Korean population.

Aim: We performed a retrospective study to examine the association between the metabolic syndrome (MS)and risk for the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods: This cohort study included 60 921 healthy adults recruited from two health promotion centres.Anthropometric measures, blood pressure, fasting glucose, lipid profile and serum creatinine were evaluated.